Combined timer, distributer, and current-reversing device.



J. H. LEHMAN.` COMBINED TIMER, DISTRIBUTER. AND CURRENT REvERslNG DEvlcE l Patented Dec. 25, 191?.

'. APPLICATION FILED JAN. I8. 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Il 521'; I" y N l Vig J. H. LEHMAN. COMBINED TIMER, DISTRIBUTER, AND CURRENT REVERSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I8, i915. 1,251,249. Patented Dec. 25,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I. H. LEHMAN.

COMBINED TIMER, DISTRIBUTER, AND CURRENT REVERSING DEVICE. APPLlcAnoN FILED JAN.18.1915.

1,251,249. Patented Dee. 25,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3'.

JOSEPH H. LEHMAN, 0F NEW'YORK, IN. Y.

GOMEINEDTIMER, DISTRIBUTER, AND CURRENT-REVERSING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOSEPH H. LEHMAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Combined Timer, Distributer, and Current-Reversing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in circuit controlling devices and more particularly to a type of device commonly employed in connection with multiple-cylinder internal-combustion engines.

In devices of this kind, it is common to provide a circuit closer adapted to act as a timer and which makes and breaks the primary circuit at intervals controlled by the times at which it is desired to produce sparks in the" engine cylinders. In connec tion with this timer portion, there is commonly employed a distributer portion which connects the different spark plugs in the secondary circuit in the proper succession, the primary circuit being made and broken each time the distributer is connected to a spark plug. lIn timers, various means have been employed for insuring a uniform duration of contact at the circuit breaker regardless of the speed at which the engine is running.

My invention relates to devices of this general type and designed for use with internal combustion engines, although it will of course be evident from the detailed description which follows, that my device might be employed in any other connection where it might be desired to make, break, or distribute either a high tensioned or a low tensioned current generated either in a battery or in a generator.

@ne of the main features of my invention is involved in the'timer portion which operates to make and break the circuitat predetermined intervals, but the time during which the circuit is made and during which the current can flow is limited, not by the speed of the engine, but by the tension of a spring `which will he uniform for each successive make and break irrespective of the engine speed. Thus, the device-may be designed or adjusted so that a sufficient passage of current is permitted when the engine is running at high speed and only that Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1917.

Application filed January 18, 1915. Serial No. 2,813.'

same amount will be used when the engine is running at low speed. Thus for each sparking there is suflicicnt current and none is wasted.

More specifically, my timer includes a member connected to the drive shaft and free to rotate a limited distance in respect thereto. This member is intermittently stopped or retarded while the shaft continues rotating and is released at the predetermined time and permitted to jump for ward under the action of a spring. The cir cuit is made and broken during this forward jump and its duration is therefore controlled by the tension of the spring which advances said Inember. As an important feature of my construction, I not only permit a relative rotation of this member in respect to the shaft, but also permit a limited longitudinal movement and utilize this longitudinal movement to control the stopping or retarding of the member and the release thereof. By permitting the member to engage with a stop when in one position so as to prevent rotation of the member and by camming or gradually forcing the inember endwise during continued rotation of the shaft, the said member may be released when moved endwise to a sucient extent and when it will be in proper angular posi tion in respect to the shaft. A single spring maybe employed for effecting the intermittent advance of the member and for holding the member against free endwise movement away from the camming means.

This device is so constructed that it will operate to make and break at the proper time even if the spring should break and may be readily replaced bya simpler form if the uniformv duration of closed circuit periods is not desired.

Tn devices of this class, the passage of the current from one terminal to the other at the circuit breaker will, if the direction of iow of the current is always the same, cause the development of surface irregularities on the contacts. This is due to the passage of minute particles of the metal from one contact to the other at the time of the passage of the spark, so that one contact is y pitted while projections or protuberances build up on the other. @ne important object of my present invention is to prevent this development of surface irregularities on the contacts by automatically reversing' the direction of flow of the current across the gap, the reversing being done automatically and at such frequent intervals that the sum total of the times during which the spark passes in one direction exactly equals the sum total of the times during which it is the direction for each successive period, it is l evident that the exact amount of current and number of sparks flowing in one direction will equal those flowing 1n the opposite direction, irrespective of the speed of the engine, the condition of the batteries or other variables. Thus, there is no change in the condition of the contacts during operation, and the life of the device is greatly increased.

My invention involves various other features and many details of construction which may be incorporated in the illustrated embodiment of my invention and all of which will be set forth more i'ully hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims. In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention, but I wish it particularly understood that this constitutes only one form which my invention may assume and thatvarious changes may be made in the construction and operation 'of the device, either by the omission of parts and their function or by the substitution of equivalent parts, without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims. 1n these drawings, to which reference is to be had and in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views,

Figure l is a centr@ longitudinal section through a device constructed in' accordance with my invention, the said section being taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is an'end view of the timing portion of the device, the cover being removed Fig. 3 is an inside view of the cover an including the distributing portions of the device;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the body portion, the casing being removed and the shaft being 'shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a detail showing the brushes and brush carrier;

Fig. 6 is a detail view similar to a portion of "Fig 1 but showing the parts in the position which they assume immediately after the breaking 0f the circuit;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to-v Fig. 6 but showing the parts in the position which they assume just prior to the making and breaking of the circuit;

Fig. 8 includes spaced perspective views of certain parts of thetimer and distributer; y

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a substitute member for that shown in Fig.'11;

Figs. 13 to 16 inclusive are wiring d-iagrams-of the primary circuit showing the circuit closer in four successive positions and showing the current reversal;

Fig. 17 is a face view of the contacts and their connections for a current reversing designed for a six cylinder enginev or polarity changing device; and

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of contact plates similar to those shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 but having the terminal formed integral. v

In the specific construction illustrated, I employ a body portion 20 preferably of 1nsulating material and concentric With a drive shaft 21. When the device is used as a timer and distributer for a multiple cylinder, four cycle, internal combustion engine, the shaft 21 may be connected by a For convenience, the body portion may be supported solely by the shaft, as for instance, by resting upon a collar 22 and it may be normally held against rotation with the shaft but rotated a limited distance in respect thereto to advance or retard the spark by engagement of any suitable controlling mechanism With any suitable form of bracket secured to the body portion. In Fig. 2, I have shown a bracket 28 formed of a sheet metal strip having its end portions secured to the body portion of the device. It is of course evident that the body of the device mightl be supported entirely indedependently of the shaft if desired.

The upper end of the shaft 21 extends a and occur at intervals dependent upon the frequency with which it is' desired to make and break the circuit. Encircling the shaft above the member 24 is a coil spring 25, having its opposite ends secured to the member 24 and to the shaft 21 respectively. The upper end portion of the shaft may be reduced to form a spindle portion 26 and this may be rovided with a slot 27 receiving the terminal of the spring. By extending this slot lengthwise of the shaft and by mounting a distributing member 28 on the upper end of the shaft above the spring, the said spring may operate not only to press the member 24 in one direction, but will operate to press the member 28 in the opposite direction and it being properly coiled, will tend to rotate the member 24 in one direction in respect to the shaft. The spring normally tends to rotate the member 24 counter-clockwise in respect to the position of said member as viewed in Figs. 2, 8 and 11i Free rotation of the member 24 is prevented by its engagement with a co-acting stationary or, at least, non-rotatable member 29 which encircles the shaft 21 beneath the member 24 and is held rigid in respect to the body portion 20.

The under side of the member 24 and the upper side; of the member 29 are so constructed that the member 24 can rotate only after being, or while being, moved endwise to such an extent as to permit the projections to pass each other. The member 29, if used in a timer designed for a four cylinder engine, may have four projections 30 upon its upper surface, disposed at equal spaced points around a central aperture through which the shaft 21 extends. Each of these projections has one substantially straight face and one beveled or inclined face so that the four equally spaced straight faces may constitute stops for interrupting the free rotation of the member 24. The under surface of the member 24 has one or more" depending projections 31 designed to ride over the upper surface of the member 29 and engage with the several stops on the latter. As shown, there are two of these projections 31 each having a straight and an inclined face, the

straight faces being at diametricaly opposite points. The straight faces of the projections 31 are designed to engage with the straight faces or stops of the projections 30 so that the rotation of the member 24 may be interrupted four times and at four distinct points during each complete revolution of the shaft.

It is of course evident that there may be four of these projections 31on the member 24 to correspond -to the four projections 30; or that there might be only a single projection 31 which would engage with the four projections 30 in succession; or that there a projection 30 and may then be advanced thro-ugh exactly one-quarter of a revolution until a projection 31 again comes into engagement with a projection 30. i

It is of course evident that if the device be designed foruse with an engine having more or less than four cylinders or if the Adevice be used in any other connection where it is desirable to make a greater or lesser number of circuit closings during the complete revolution of the member 24, there would be a corresponding change in the number of and spacing between successive projections 30 and 31.

For rotating. the member 24 and for intermittently moving it endwise to permit its projections 31 to pass over the projections 30, i provide the shaft 21 with two lugs, teeth or projections 32 extending axially at diametrically opposite points and disposed within the central aperture ofthe member 29. The central aperture through the member 24 is smaller than that through the member 29 as said member 24 fits upon the spindle portion 26 of the shaft while the member 29 encircles the portion of the shaft bearing the projections 32, On the under surface of the member 24 and closely adjacent to the central aperture are vtwo diametrically opposed, depending projections 34 having parallel sides and separated by inclined ory cam surfaces 33. Thus, one side of each projection 34 is longer than the opposite side. The projections 32 on the shaft, hereinafter referred to as the Lcamming projections, engage with the surfaces 33 and the relative movement of the member 24 in respect to the shaft 21 is limited by the engagement of-these camming projections between opposed parallel sides of the projections 34.

The, coil spring 25, having one end connected to the shaft and the other end to the member l24, is normally Iunder such tension as will tend 'to move the member 24 counterclockwise from the position shown in Fig. 2 but this movement is normally prevented by the engagement of the projections 31, with the stationary projections 30. v As the shaft rotates, the camming projections 32 move along the inclined surfaces 33 and thus force the member 24 endwise against thetension of the spring and at the same time the spring is lbeing put under further tension byl relative movement of the yshaft and-member 24. At approximately the instant that the camming projections32 comel into contact with the short side. of the projection 34 in advance thereof, thesaid member 24 has been moved endwise to such an extent that the projections 31 can slip over the projections 30 and the member 24 is rotated in the same direction. as the shaft and at higher speed by reason ofthe tension of the spring 25. The forward movement of the member will cause the inclined 'surfaces 31 to advance over the heads of the projections 32 and this will permit a corresponding return .endwise movement of the member 24. This will bring the next projections 31 down in front of the next projection 30 and limit the forward rotation of the member 24.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that while the shaft 21 may rotate continuously and uniformly, the member 24, in making one complete revolution, will alternately advance and stop four times and that the rate of each advancement is due to the tension'of the spring rather than to the rate of rotation of the shaft, and that for varying .speeds of the shaft, the time during which the member 24 advances is substantially uniform while the duration of the stops varies.

This intermittently advancing member may be utilized in various ways for effecting the making and breaking of the circuit. In Fig. 2, I have shown a construction in which two relatively movable contacts are mount ed on the upper surface of the body portion 20, the said relative movement being effected by the rotation of the member 24. As shown, I provide a normally stationary contact 36 and a movable contact 37. The latter is carried by a lever arm 38 mounted on a pivot 39. A leaf spring 40 has one end secured to the lever arm and the other secured toa bracket 41. This leaf spring normally tends to hold the contacts apart by holding the arm against an adjustable stop 42. Rigidly secured to the arm 38 and mounted on the pivot 39, is a block of insulating material 43 disposed closely adjacent to the member 24 and constituting the short arm of a bellcrank lever of which the part 38 forms the long arm. The member 24 has a` plurality of projections 44 which may engage with the block 43 soas to swing the arm 38 and bring the contacts together each time a prov jection passes said block. As shown, these they operate to bring projections are on the periphery of the memer 24, although ,it is of course evident that they may be positioned in any other manner or made of any other character so long as the contacts together and then permit their separation while the member'24 is rotating.

The stops 30 and 31 are so positioned in respect to the projections 44 that the parts normally occupy the position shown in Fig. 2. While in this Position and .while the shaft 21 continues to rotate, the member 24 will be moved endwise until it liberates it- `self and will then advance through onequarter of a revolution and stop. Each time it stops, one projection 44 will be just beyond the bell-crank lever and the next stop 44 will be not quite upto it as shown in F ig. 2.

This construction not only insures the proper timing but permits a proper and effective operation even though the spring should become broken or displaced.- Furthermore, in case the engine is turned in the opposite direction, no parts will be broken or injured nor will the proper adjustment and relative arrangement be destroyed. If the spring does not operate to intermittently advance the member 24, the said member will be positively advanced by the engagement of the camming projections 32 with the projections 34 at the end of the inclined surfaces 33. Thus the member will lcontinuously and uniformly rotate with the shaft and the proper making and breaking of the circuit will be secured although there of course will not be the desired saving of current when the engine is running at low speed and the spring 25 is out of operation. In case 'the engine is turned backward, the projections 32 will engage with the long side of the Aprojections 34 and will positively rotate the member 24 in the reverse direction. It will be'noted that as the projections 30 and 3'1 all have inclined surfaces on one side, the member 24 can be rotated in the reverse direction while the projections 31 ride up over the projections 30. In case the spring should break or if for any other reason, it is desired to rotate the member 24 at a uniform rate instead of intermittently, I may substitute for the member 24 a member 24, as shown in Fig. 12. This member has an annular flange 45 on the under surface thereof and in this liange are two recesses 46 adapted. to receive the two projections 32. By slipping the member 24a on tothe shaft in place of the member 24, the device may continue rotating to make and break the circuit at the proper time, but as is evident, the time during kwhich the current may flow each time the circuit is made, will depend upon the speed of rotation of the shaft rather than being constant and determined by-the tension of the spring.

If the timer is to be employed without any reversing of the direction of flow of the circuit and either with or without a. distributer, the terminals from the battery or from the other source of current may be connected to the bracket 41 or to the pivotal support of the arm 38 and to a bracket 47 supporting the stationary contact 36. Preferably, the device includes means for reversing the battery connections during each interval, while the member 24 is held against rotation and while the contacts 36 and 37 are spaced apart.

As shown, the body member 20 is substantially in the form of a disk and on the under side thereof are mounted four segmental contact plates 50, 51, 52 and 53. All four plates are in the same plane and are insulated from each other and each extends along nearly one-half the circumference of a The two plates 50 and 51 are in a' circle. circle of one radius and they are located upon opposite sides of a diameter which is at right angles to the diameter upon opposite sides of which are the plates 52 and 53 in a circle of larger radius. In other words, the gaps`.between the opposed end of the plates are staggered. The inner plate 51 is secured to the stationary-contact 36 in any suitable manner, as for instance, b-yl a pin 54v extending` down through the body 20A and shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and to these binding posts may be connected the terminals from the battery, generator, or other source of electrical energy.

A somewhat simpler, and in some respects, a preferable, form of connection is shown in Fig. 18. Here the plates 50a, 51a, 52a and 53a have lugs 41a, 47a, 53a and 57a respectively. These may be formed integral and bent up substantially at right angles to the plane of the platesand terminating at or above the upper surface of the insulatingbody member'not shown in this ligure. The lug 41a may serve for holding one end'of the spring 40, the lug 47EL may adjustably support the stationary contact .36, and screws extending into the turned over vends `of the lugs 157*l and 58L may serve as the binding post. The arrangement is very simple, inexpensive and cannot readily get out of order.

Beneath the body 2O and rigidly secured to the shaft is a brush holder 60 having two blocks 61 of insulating material secured thereto. Each block may be in the form of a combined receptacle and guide and inclose 'a spring 62. and a brush 63. The brushes are pressed upwardly by the springs and project from the open side of the receptacle and are of such size and shape as to engage with both a plate of the inner circle and a plate of the outer circle as the brush holder rotates. The two brushes are at diametrically opposite points so that when one brush is connecting the outer plate 53 to the inner plate 50, the other brush will be connecting the outer plate 52 to the inner plate 51 as is shown in Fig. 4. As the shaft rotates, it will alternately reverse the connections berevolution of the the polarity.

4tween the outer and inner plates, a reversal i taking place at each quarter revolution; in other words, each time the brushes pass a gap between the adjacent ends of two plates. If the outer plate 53 be connected to the positive pole of thelbattery or other source of current and the plate 52 be connected to the negative fpole, then the inner plate 50 will be'connected first through one' brush to the positive pole and then to the negative pole, and then through thev other brush to the positive pole and then to the negative pole. In other words, each inner plate will be twice connected to a positive pole and twice to a negative pole during each complete revolution of the shaft 21 and the brushes carried thereby.

As the inner plates are connected to the circuit make-and-break contacts, it will be apparent that four times during a complete shaft, the contacts will have their polarity changed. The position of the brushes and the position of the contact plates 50, 51, 52 and 53 are such that the reversal takes place during a time when the member 24 is held against rotation and, therefore, while the circuit is broken. Thus, there will be no current flowing at the time a brush passes from the end of one plate ,to the end of the other and as each brush is narrower than the gap between the ends of the plates, there can be no arcing or short circuiting at the time of the reversing of The making and breaking of the circuit at the contacts 36 and 37 always 100 occurs when the brushes are on the plates rather than between them.

In Figs. 13 to 16 inclusive, I have shown j somewhat diagrammatically four successive positions of the lmember 24 and the brushes. I have designated the projections 44 of said member 24 as a, b, c, and d to clearly illustrate this operationand relative arrange:- rnent of the parts.

The arrangement of the four plates as 110 shown in Figs. 4, 1.3 to 16 and 17 is preferably employed when the device is to be used in connection with a four cylinder engine.

It is of course evident that if an engine of a larger or smaller number of cylinders is to 11By be employed or if for any other reason a larger or smaller number of polarity changes are 'desired .for each revolution, a corresponding `change must be made in the shape,

size and relative arrangement of the plates. 120 In Fig. 17, I have shown an arrangement of `plates andA wiring designed' vto produce six polarity changes during each rotation. The same brushes shown in Figs. 4 and 5 might be employed. I have shown both the inner 125 and outer rows made up of six plates and vin each row alternate plates are electrically 'connected. One Set of outer plates 53b is connected to the positive pole of the source and the other set of outer plates 52,b are con- 130 nected to the negative pole While one plate of each of the two separate sets of;I inner plates 50b and 51b is connected to the corresponding contact of the make-and-break device..

To properly distribute the current to d1fferent points, as for instance, to different spark plugs, I preferably employ that illustrated. The body portion 2L) is illustrated as being provided with a casing 65 inclosmg the brushes and having an upwardly extending annular flange within which a cover 66 of insulating material may be secured by bayonet joints. To insure the proper angular position of the cover 1n res ect tothe body, the cover may have lugs 67 irregularly spaced and entering .correspondingly spaced apertures 68 leading to bayonet slots. The inside `of the cover 1s shown as having four contact plates 69 which may be connected by wires to the four separate spark plugs. Detachably mounted upon the upper end -of the shaft 26 1s the member 27 previously referred to and which is held against rotation in respect to the shaft ias for instance by flattening the erminal portion of the shaft and extending it into a correspondingly shaped aperture in the member. The member carries a brush 70 adapted to engage vwith the contacts 69 in succession and continuously with a terminal 71 projecting through the center of the cover in axial almement with the shaft. The spring 25 will act not only to advance and axially move the member 24, but it may also hold the member 28 against the end of the center terminal 7l. Any suitable means may be employed for securing the wires to the contacts 69, but preferably I employ pins 72 rigid with the contacts and having heads 73 at their outer ends. Collars 74 are pressed up toward the heads by coiled springs 75 and each wire has a. forked plate portion adapted to be forced between the collar and the head against the tension of the spring.

As previously stated, the casingv 65 includes not only the body portion 20, but also the brushes and brush holder. Preferably, the brush holder is so constructed and so mounted in respect to the body portion and casing as to aid in rendering the latter substantially dust-tight and provide an oil cup. As shown, particularly in Figs. 1 und 5, the center portion of the brush holder is dished or of cup-shape with the brush supporting portions extending outwardly from the upper edge. This cup serves to hold a soft gasket 7 6 while the lower side of the brush holder is spaced from the lower side of the casing by a second and similar gasket 77. The latter' prevents the admission of dust and moisture to the casing while the former may be saturated with oil and lubricate the bearing of the non-rotatable body portion on the rotatable shaft.

Various details which I have illustrated and described may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention, as I have previously stated, and it isI also ev1- dent that various parts of the construction may be omitted together with their function and with various detailed features illustrated and hereinafter claimed may be useful in other connections than in combination with other specific features illustrated.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. vIn a device of the character described, the combination with electric contacts, of a revolving Shaft, and amember driven by said shaft for lntermittently moving said contacts together, said member during each complete revolution having an endwise movement and an intermittent rotary movement.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with electric contacts, of a revolving shaft, and a member driven by said shaft for intermittently movin said contacts together, means for imparting to said member an endwise reciprocating movement and an intermittently interrupted rotary movement,.the opening of the contacts being effected during each time said member rotates.

V3. In a device of the character described, the combination with electric contacts, of a revolving shaft, a member concentric with said shaft for intermittently moving said contacts together, means for moving said member endwise m respect to said shaft as the latter rotates, means for preventing rotation during said endwise movement in one direction, and means for rotating said member faster than said shaft and simultaneously moving it endwise in theopposite direction to open the contacts.

4.,-In a device of the character described, the combination with electric contacts, of a revolving shaft, and a member driven by said shaft for intermittently moving said contacts together, said member having an intermittent reciprocating movement and an intermittent rotary movement, and a single. spring normally resisting said reciproeating movement in one direction and producing Vsaid rotary movement.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with electric contacts, of a member for moving one of said contacts in respect to the other, said member having a reciprocatory movement and an intermittent rotary movement.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with electric contacts, of a member for moving one of said contacts in respectto the other, said member having a reciprocatory movement and an intermittent rotary movement, the reciprocatory movement in one direction occurring between successive rotary movements and the reciprocatory movement in the opposite. direction occurring during the rotary movements.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with electric contacts, of a .member for moving one of said contacts in respect to the other, said member having a reciprocatory movement and an intermittent rotary movement, the relative movement of the contacts occurring solely during the rotary movements of said member.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with electric contacts, of a member for intermittently closing the circuit between said contacts, a stop for normally preventing rotation of said member, and means for intermittently moving said member endwise out of the path of said stop to permit rotary movement of said member.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with electric contacts, of a member for intermittently closing the circuit between said contacts, a stop for normally preventing rotation of said member, and a cam for intermittently moving said member endwise out of the path of said stop to permit rotary movement of said member.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with electric contacts, of a member for intermittently closing the circuit between said contacts, a stop for normally preventing rotation of said member, means for intermittently moving said member endwise out of the path of said stop to permit rotary movement of said member, and a spring for rotating said member when said member is released from said stop.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination with electric contacts, of a member for intermittently closing and opening the circuit between said contacts, a stop for normally preventing rotation of said member, means for intermittently moving said member endwise out of the path of said stop to permit rotary movement of said member, and a spring for rotating said member when said member is released from said stop and said spring serving to normally resist endwise movement of said member away from said stop.

12. In a device of the character described, a pair of electric contacts, a continuously rotating shaft, a member driven thereby for intermittently closing and opening the circuit between said contacts, a. stationary stop for normally preventing rotation of said member, a cam carried by said shaft for moving said member endwise in respect to the shaft and out of operative relationship to said stop, and a single spring for normally resisting said endwise movement andl for rotatively advancing said member when the latter is released from operative engagement with said stop.

13. .In a device of the class described, the

combination with electric contacts, of a shaft, a member carried thereby and having a series of projections for moving one of said contacts in respect to the other to close the circuit, a plurality of times during each rotation of said member, means for holding said member against rotation with the circuit broken, means carried by said shaft for intermittently moving said member endwise to permit it to pass said holding means, and a spring for rotating Qsaid member when released through a portion of a revolution suficient to effect a making and breaking of the circuit between said contacts.

14. The combination of apcontinuously rotating shaft, a member carried thereby, a stationary member, a series of interengaging cam projections on said members and normally preventing rotation of said rst mentioned member with said'shaft in one direction but permitting rotation of said first mentioned member with said shaft in the opposite direction, and a series of interengaging cam projections on Said vfirst mentioned member and said shaft for effecting relative longitudinal movement of said shaft and said rst mentioned member when said first mentioned member is held against rof tation.

15. The combination o-f a drive shaft, a circuit closing member and a nonrotatable member, said circuit .closing member and said nonrotatable member having interengaging surfaces for preventing rotation of said circuit closing member when said members are in one predetermined position aXially of said shaft, and said shaft and circuit closing member having interengaging surfaces for effecting a relative aXial movement of said members while said circuit closing member is held against rotation.

16. The combination of a drive shaft, a circuit closing member and a nonrotatable member, said circuit closing member and said nonrotatable member having cam projections for preventing rotation of said circuit closing member when said members are in one predetermined position axially of said v shaft, and said shaft and circuit closing member having cam projections for effecting a relative axial movement of said members while said circuit closing member is held against rotation.

17. A combined timer and distributer including a drive shaft, a pair of electric con tacts, a member carried by said shaft for closing the circuit between said contacts, said member having a reciprocatory movement in respect to said shaft, a series of contacts, a brush carried by said shaft for engaging with said last mentioned contacts in succession, and a single spring for holding said brush resiliently against said contacts and for resisting reciprocatory movement of said member in one direction.

18. A combined timer and distributer including a drive shaft, a pair of electric contacts, a member carried by said shaft for closing the circuit between said contacts, said member being relatively rotatable in respect thereto, a series of contacts, a brush carried by said shaft for engaging with said last mentioned contacts in succession, and a single spring for holding said brush resiliently against said contacts and for effecting the rotation of said member in respect to said shaft.

19. A combined timer and distributer including a shaft, a pair of contacts, a member carried by said shaft, means for normally holding said member. against rotation with said shaft, means for releasing said member after a predetermined retardation, a spring for advancing said member upon the release thereof, a series of contacts, and a brush carried by said shaft for engaging with the contacts of said series in succession, said brush being pressed toward said contacts by said spring.

20. A combined timer and distributer including a shaft, a pair of contacts, a member carried by said shaft, means for normally holding said member against rotation with said shaft, means for releasing said member after a predetermined retardation, a coil spring encircling said shaft for advancing said member upon the release thereof, a series of contacts, and a brush carried by said shaft for engaging with the contacts of said series in succession, said brush being pressed toward said contacts by said spring.

21. A combined timer and distributer including a rotating shaft, two circuit closing members carried thereby, one of said members constituting a part of the distributer and the other of said members serving to intermittently open and close the circuit of the timer, and a coil spring carried by said shaft betweenl said members for pressing said members apart.

22. A combined timer and distributer including a body portion, a shaft projecting therethrough, a cover for said body portion, electric contacts for the timer carried by said body portion, electric contacts for the distributer'carried by said cover portion, and two members carried by said shaft, one of said members having a continuous rotary movement and the other of said membersl having an intermittent rotary movement.

23. A combined timer, distributer and polarity reverser having a casing including a body portion and cover, a plurality of contacts carried by said cover, a shaftprojecting through said body portion, a circuit closing member carried by said shaft adapted to engage with said contacts in succession, separate electric contacts carrled by said body portion and intermittently brougltogether during the rotation of said shaft and means for reversing the polarity of said last mentioned contacts during each rotation of said shaft.

24. A combined timer and distributer hav- ,ing a casing including a drive shaft, a circuit closing member carried thereby within the casing, a pin projecting to the eXterior of said casing from each of said contacts, two collars carried by eachpin, a spring for pressing one of said collars toward the other and a wire terminal including a forked plate for entry between said collars and upon opposite sides of said pin.

25. A device ofv the class described, including two annular series of contact plates, means -for connecting successive plates of one series to alternate poles of a source of electrical energy, whereby successive plates are of different polarity, a. rotatable member having engagement with plates of both series for giving the pla-tes of the second 2G. A device of the class described, in-

cluding two annular series of contact plates, means forconnectlng successive plates of one series to alternate poles of a source of electrical energy, whereby successive plates are of different polarity, a rotatable member having engagement with plates of both series for giving the plates of the second series a polarity corresponding to the plate of the first series to which it is electrically connected by said rotatable member, and a circuit making and breaking device having opposite contacts connected to successive plates of said sec-ond series, .and a member rotatable with said iirst mentioned member for operating said circuit making and breaking device, whereby the-polarity of the contacts of said making and breaking device is reversed between successive closings of the circuit, the arrangement being such that the reversing of the polarity of said contact occurs while the circuit is' broken at said contacts.

27. A device of the class described, including two annular series of contact plates,

Series for giving the plates of the second series a polarity corresponding to the plate of the first series to which itis electrically connected by said rotatable member, a circuit making .and breaking device having opposite contacts connected to successive lates of said second series, and a member rotatable with said first mentioned member for operating said circuit making and breaking device, whereby the polarity of the contacts of said making and breaking device is reversed a plurality of times during each rotation of said second mentioned rotatable member.

28. A device of the class described, including a pair of contact plates, a pair of separate brushes, one of said pairs being rotatable about an axisI to connect each brush first with one plate and then with the other, a pair of make-and-break contacts, a member rotatable .about said axis for intermittently closing the circuit between said contacts, and connections between said contacts and said plates, the relative arrangement .of the parts being such that the polarity of said contacts is reversed each time during the interim between successive closings of the circuit at said contacts.

29. A device of the class described, including two curved contact plates, connections between said plates and the opposite poles of a source of electrical energy, a second pair of curved plates concentric with said first mentioned plates, the gaps between the opposed ends of the plates of one pair being staggered in respect to the gaps between the opposed ends of the plates of the other pair, a drive shaft, a brush holder carried thereby, a pair of brushes each engaging with a plate of both pairs, a pair of electric contacts connected to separate plates of the second mentioned pair whereby the porality of said contacts is reversed four times during each rotation of said shaft, and a member for closing yand opening the circuit four times during each rotation of said shaft.

30. A device of the class described, including a body member, two curved contact plates secured thereto, connections between said plates and the opposite poles of a source of electrical energy, a second pair of curved plates secured to said body and concentric with said first mentioned plates, the gaps between the opposed ends of the plates of one pair being staggered in respect to the gaps between the opposed ends of the `plates of the other pair, a drive shaft, a brush holder carried thereby, a pair of brushes each engaging with a plate of both pairs, a pair of electric contacts connected to separate plates of the second mentioned pair whereby the polarity of said contacts is reversed four times during each rotation of said shaft, and

brush holder and a member for closing the circuit four times during each rotation of said shaft, the arrangement of the parts being such that the reversal of polarity takes place only while the circuit is broken at said contacts.

3l. A device of the class described, including a timer portion and a polarity reversing portion, a shaft for driving both of said portions, and a casing inclosing said portions, said polarity reversing portion including a brush holder having an oil cup adja- -.,cent to and concentric with said shaft.

32. A device of the class described, including an annular series of contact members, a casing inclosing said members, a shaft projecting into said casing, a brush holder carried by said shaft within said casing, land a brush carried byA said brush holder and engaging with said contact members, said brush holder having the central portion thereof constituting an oil cup.

33. A'device of the class described, including an annular series of contact plates, a shaft, a brush holder carried by said shaft, and a brush carried by said brush holder and engaging with said contact plates, said brush holder being formed of sheet metal and including a central cupped or dished portion and an outwardly extending' apertured extremity the brush being mounted within the aperture of said extremity.

34. A device of the class described, including an annular series of contact plates, a shaft, a brush holder carried by said shaft, and a pair of brushes carried by said engaging with said contact plates, said brush holder including a. sheet metal plate having oppositely extending, spaced prongs and said brushes each including two relatively movable members resiliently connected together, one of said members being slidably and'detachably mounted between the prongs of said brush holder.

35. A device of the class described including an annular series of contact plates, a shaft concentric therewith, a sheet metal brush holder carried by said shaft and having an outwardly extending forked extremity, and a brush detachably mounted between the prongs thereof.

36. A device of the` class described including an annular series of contact sections, a shaft concentric therewith, a brush holder carried by said shaft and presenting a sheet metal portion in a plane at right angles to the axis of the shaft, a brush guide detachably secured to said sheet metal portion, a spring and a brush within said guide, said brush being movable in respect to said guide and in engagement with said contact sections.

37. A device of the class described, including an annular series of contact sections,

member for effecting ltioned set and then a shaft concentric therewith, a brush holder carried by said shaft and presenting an apertured extremity, a brush guide detachably secured within said apertured eXtremity, a spring and a brush within said guide, said brush being movable in respect to sald guide and in engagement with said contact sections.

38. An ignition system for internal combustion engines, including a source of electrical energy, an annular set of contacts,

each alternate contact being connected to' the positive pole of said source and the remaining contacts being connected to the negative pole of said source, a second annular set of contacts, a make-and-breakv device including a pair of separable contacts, connections between one of said separable contacts and each alternate contact of said second set, connections between the other of said separable contacts and the remaining contacts of said second set, means for effecting the intermittent relative movement of said separable contacts, anda rotatable member for intermittently connecting eacx of the contacts of said second mentione set iirst with a positive contact of the first menwith a negative contact of said first mentioned set.

39. An ignition system for internal combustion engines, including a source of electrical energy, an annular set of contacts, a make-and-break device including a pair of separable contacts, connections between one of said separable contacts and each alternate contact of said set, connections between the other of said separable contacts andthe remaining contacts of said set, a rotatable the intermittent relative movement of said separable contacts, a rotatable member for intermittently connecting each of the contacts of said set first with a positive and then with a negative pole of a source of electric energy, and connections between said rotatable members whereby the polarity of the contacts of said set is changed only when the circuit is broken at said separable contacts.

40. A device of the class described, including two series of contacts, means for connecting the contacts of one series to the poles of a source of electrical' energy with successive contacts of constant but different polarity, a rotatable member for connecting each contact of the other series first with a contact of positive and then with a contact of negative polarity of the first mentioned series, and a mechanically operated circuit rotation of making-and-breaking device having opposite contacts connected .to contacts of different polarity of said second series.

41. A combined timer 'and polarity reverser including a shaft, a pair of contacts, a member for effecting intermittent making and breaking of the circuit at said contacts, a predetermined number of times during each rotation of said shaft, a second series of contacts in the same circuit with the first mentioned contacts, and a rotatable member carried by said shaft and operating to reverse the polarity of said lirst mentioned contacts while the circuit is broken at the latter.

42. An ignitionsystem for internal combustion engines including a source of electrical energy, relatively movable contacts, a rotatable shaft, means for effecting a making and breaking of the circuit at said contacts a definite number of times during each rotation of the shaft, and separate means operating to reverse the connections between said contacts and the poles of said source a predetermined number of times during each rotation of the shaft.

43. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, make-and-break contacts, a rotatable member, means for relatively moving said contacts at frequencies dependent upon the speed of rotation of said member, a pair of contact plates, a pair of brushes, one of said pairs being carried by and rotatable with said member, and connections whereby the relative rotation of said brushes and plates effects successive and intermittent reversals of the polarity of said makeand-break contacts.

44. A combined timer, distributer and polarity reverser having a plurality of secondary contacts, a shaft, a circuit closing distributing member carried by said shaft adapted to engage with said contacts in succession, separate make-and-break contacts intermittently brought together during the said shaft, and means for repolarity of said last mentioned contacts during each rotation of said shaft.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York (borough of Manhattan) and State of New York this 15th day of January, A. D. 1915.

versing the JosnrH H. LEHMAN.

Witnesses:

CLAIR W. FAIRBANK, FLORENCE LEVIEN.

a circuit including a4 pair of 

